Not broken, just bent
by Ninishly
Summary: - and she can learn to love again. One-shot.


**A/N:** So, today I saw my old long-time crush and I thought I was over him but I wasn't. Oh well.

SasuSaku, AU, genre: I have no idea

**~Not broken, just bent**

Sakura noted that the streets of Konoha weren't overly busy on a cloudy, cold Friday at seven p.m. She had just dropped off her best friend Ino on the front porch steps of her apartment building, promising that she would never ever, ever, ever forget her birthday ever again (like ever). The pink haired soon-to-be med student rolled her eyes remembering her blonde best friend's tantrum mere hours ago. Her cheeks blushed a blazing red at the memory of (almost) every customer's eyes glued to the two girls having a catfight at Starbucks.

Dear Lord.

It wasn't Sakura's fault that Tsunade had decided to bury her in a heap of medical books and test the fuck out of her the week prior to the Pig's birthday. Sakura had remembered it after all, albeit a day late, but was it really necessary to make a scene in a public place? A heavy sigh escaped her pale lips as she tried to drag herself a few more blocks to her own apartment. Her head felt like it was going to crack in half any moment. This day was one of those Sakura absolutely didn't need in her life.

_And he was there, too._

She was over him. She told herself, after their graduation from KHS, that she was over him and God knows how she wanted to believe that. But she wasn't. Because today, in the Starbucks near Tenten's apartment, she realized that she still cared. She had looked at him, while Ino and she were scolded by an older citizen for their 'inappropriate behavior', to see if he'd noticed her. And in that moment she could have slapped her over-sized forehead.

_You don't want his attention anymore_ her inner self scolded _you don't care about what he thinks of you, remember?_

She squeezed her eyes shut, desperately trying to forget the whole thing and run home. But her feet were glued to the concrete. _Of course he didn't look._

Because Sakura could have caught a bullet for him and he wouldn't have noticed. She was just another little girl that had confessed to him in fifth grade. Another little girl he politely rejected. Not the young woman who saved his brother's eyesight by talking Tsunade into treating his disease, although Itachi was already declared a lost cause by most doctors of Konoha's Hidden Leaf Hospital. Not the young woman who was always there for him, always looking out for him, always making sure he was safe because he liked to get himself into unnecessary trouble.

Maybe it was childish of Sakura to think that he owed her, but she didn't care. He had broken her heart on a fine spring day in fifth grade – and every day since then.

_He never noticed._

She was hurt, she was steaming mad and the late autumn air smelled like rain. Sakura knew, by the way her neck hurt, that a torrential rainstorm was about to hit her home town. She moved forward, one step at a time, trying to ignore the bitterness that prevailed in her.

_You're ridiculous. You're acting like a fucking five-year-old. Get a grip._

She stopped for a moment, taking a deep breath. "You're right."

Holding her head high, shoulders straight she put a careless expression on her face and smiled. Because that's how everyone saw Haruno Sakura - a confident, careless, strong, young woman.

_He didn't break it. He just…bent it. That's it._

With that in mind, Sakura confidently walked down the street…for about five steps. She didn't know whether it was god, karma or Spongebob that had a certain Uchiha walking towards her – _Not towards you_, she reminded herself _towards his apartment_ - but whatever it was it didn't like her.

He looked gorgeous as ever – not that she would ever admit it – with his tousled black hair, velvet red v-neck shirt and dark jeans. He was in deep thought, it seemed, as his long, slender fingers tapped away on his phone. Both of his hands were looped through the holes of obnoxiously yellow plastic bags.

It wasn't a rare sight. Even though Uchiha Sasuke looked like your ordinary, arrogant douchebag, he didn't act like one. He actually did chores around the house - like taking the trash out and doing the grocery shopping - without much complaining.

Sakura didn't know what came over her, but before she realized it, she called out his name. His head snapped up immediately, his eyes darting in several directions before settling on the pink haired woman in front of him.

"You won't even greet an old friend?" she asked, trying not to sound bitter.

"Oh hey, Sakura! Sorry I didn't see you" an apologetic smile graced his lips.

_It's not like it's something new_, she thought, _you never saw me._

She didn't know why she was so bitchy all of a sudden. _He was looking at his phone for God's sak,e of course he didn't see me! What the hell is wrong with me?_ Later she would blame the bad weather and the pain said weather caused in her neck for her preposterous behavior.

"How are you doing? I haven't seen you in forever! I've heard you're Tsunade's apprentice, pretty impressive."

Sakura let out a small 'Huh?' clearly not expecting him to ask about her wellbeing or compliment her. It made her…giddy. She forgot her bitterness and anger in an instant.

"Th- Thanks" _God I'm stuttering worse than Hinata_ "I've heard you made it into law school, congratulations! I always knew you'd make it!" _Sakura, stop! Now!_

A grin appeared on Sasuke's lips as he thanked his former classmate. "I know you'll do well in med school, but, good luck anyway. One can never have too much good luck, right? I'm in bit of a hurry, so…see you sometime" he said giving Sakura a half-hearted wave. She wanted to say something, anything just to make him stay.

_Get a grip Sakura, weren't you mad just a few moments ago? What's wrong with you?_

But Sakura ignored her inner self and smiled. She took a few steps towards him, her heels clicking on the sidewalk. "You too, Sasuke-kun, good luck!" He turned around giving her another small smile, before he finally turned around and dissapeared into the cold autumn twilight.

_You're so weak._

Sakura hung her head low, letting the rumble of the thunder roll over her "I know." In the end she would always crave his attention; she would always be the little girl that confessed to him on one fine spring day in fifth grade.

_Not broken, just bent._

**.**

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**A/N:** This story sounded better in my head. Whatever. It's late and I'm hungry.

Sasucakes is a bit OOC but it's an AU, after all. That means no massacre that could turn our favorite Uchiha all broody and emo.

Sakura is stupid, just like me.

I love everyone who reads this and doesn't laugh. You're a gem.


End file.
